Royals shakeup includes Sveum replacing Grifol as hitting coach

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With Royals hitting coach Pedro Grifol being reassigned, many Royals fans likely are hoping that George Brett will come running to the rescue again.

Not going to happen.

While Royals general manager Dayton Moore stopped short of saying the Royals reached out and asked Brett to return again as the team’s hitting coach, Moore told FOX Sports Kansas City by phone Thursday afternoon, "Let me put it this way: He has made it very clear he is very content with his present role."

Brett, the team’s vice president of baseball operations, joined Grifol as the team’s hitting coaches last May 30 after Jack Maloof and Andre David were reassigned. Brett made it clear at that time he would be the coach only on a temporary basis, and he stepped away from that job in July.

"George and I have regular conversations, about the team, about the offense, about everything," Moore said. "Right now he is just very cemented in his present lifestyle."

Grifol remained the hitting coach until Thursday, when he was reassigned to be the team’s catching instructor. Grifol was a minor-league catcher for nine seasons. Dale Sveum, the team’s third-base coach, will take over as hitting coach. Mike Jirschele will become the new third-base coach.

Under Grifol, the Royals were last in the American League in runs, home runs and OPS.